CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

Chocolate Tofu Ice Cream...I can't believe I said that, made that, and loved that! It was our Food Matters Project recipe for the week. The recipe was chosen by Meg of Fledgling Foodie. No eggs, or cream, just four ingredients and better than regular ice cream.

I used dark chocolate from Trader Joe's, sugar, vanilla, and soft, silken tofu. In less than 10 minutes this was in the ice cream maker and ready to go. The tofu gave it a smooth, creamy texture. Right out of the ice cream maker it tasted like a cross between rich pudding and chocolate ice cream. That was our favorite time to eat it. After sitting in the freezer it hardened and was delicious too, only not as silky and creamy.

This will be my go-to recipe from now on. It is perfect for a dinner party, just turn on the ice cream maker when you sit down for dinner. It is really rich so a small amount goes a long way making it perfect to serve in a pretty shot glass, demitasse or a small martini glass.

For other takes on this recipe visit our blog here.

CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

3/4 cup sugar

1 pound soft silken tofu

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the sugar with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool a bit.

Put all of the ingredients (including the sugar syrup) in a blender and puree until it is completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instruction. Or transfer the mixture to an airtight container and freeze until it is firm, at least 4 hours; then break into chunks and puree in the food processor. Or simply let thaw a bit and eat as soon as it's scoopable.

Recipe by Mark Bittman